Rationale

Beyond is a social experiment and creative project that aims to capture the social climate of our time; challenge, discuss and understand individual ideologies and in essence, provide a safe space to share individual lived experiences & tell one's story. With this project, I would like to unpack what it means to be a man today, how the youth view male figures and role models in today's society, understand and shed light on the experience of male youth, what it means to be a man in today's society and why they think there is discourse, and sometimes violence, between men and women today.

Beyond was inspired by the song Some Boys by Death Cab for Cutie. The song expresses the grime and dark side of the experience of the singer by painting a picture of a male character who lives a life that I would say is encompassed by the influences of societal ideals/pressures, gender roles, and sometimes one's upbringing. My interpretation of the song is that it relays the message that men are expected to be high-income earners, career-driven and not show their emotions - which ultimately affects their ability to express their emotions, form healthy relationships with one's self as well as others and feel a sense of fulfilment in life.

As a result of these expectations, some men are unknowingly harmed and held back by living their lives within the confines of these ideologies and expectations; which can also be destructive to the individual. In turn, these lifestyles and ideologies that male figures, the media and role models portray to the youth, i.e. the men of tomorrow, showcase a grime, unrealistic and unhealthy way to navigate life and view themselves. This project seeks to go Beyond the draping and unattainable mold of masculinity that the men of today and the men of tomorrow are taught to fill. Beyond is the action towards what lies ahead of our today. Beyond is redefining the stories we've been told and narrating the story we ought to tell.

As an observer of and interactor within society, I think that one's behaviour and manner in which one navigates through as well as understands the world, are influenced by their upbringing, their role models, their personal ideologies, and the expectations placed on the individual by friends, family and society at large. As a woman, I too navigate the world with my own constraining beliefs about myself that may be linked to or derived from the gender roles placed upon me by society, culture and tradition, my upbringing, the media and personal ideologies that shape the way I navigate through life.

With this project, I seek to showcase a glimpse of how the men of tomorrow view their predecessors, how they view themselves, what their hopes are for the future, what they'd like to change in the now about their current reality and how we as the youth can go beyond these expectations and notions of who we ought to be. Beyond is not only a ground for individuals to tackle the harsh realities surrounding gender roles and masculinity but also for me to showcase the perspective of the male youth and understand more about what my role in society is in relation to a world with shifting ideals as well as the people within it. As social beings, it is only natural that we interact with each other, learn from each other and ultimately grow as individuals, because of our personal and collective experiences.

Therefore, evoking change is a core value of this project. The values I hope to inspire in those who see and participate in this project are Understanding, Respect, Integrity, Open-Mindedness and Authenticity. This is, Beyond.

Beyond, Volume 1

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson